January 23, 2006
HEY, IT COULD BECOME AN INTERESTING PLACE AGAIN....:
Dear Western Standard reader,
It's election day, and the Western Standard is the best way for you to get up-to-the-minute news and opinion all day and all night!
Here's how:
1. The Shotgun blog
Visit our popular blog at http://westernstandard.blogs.com for the quickest news and the smartest views, brought to you by literally dozens of Canada's brightest bloggers. And just after 7 p.m. MT, our editor-in-chief Kevin Libin will be live-blogging from the Tory HQ in Calgary.
2. Western Standard Radio
For our Southern Alberta friends, tune in to our radio program at 6 p.m. MT on AM1060 CKMX as host Grant Farhall leads a special hour-long election call-in show. Not in Calgary? Not a problem -- listen over the Internet at www.ckmx.com.
3. Global TV
When the polls close tune in to Global TV, where I'll be providing colour commentary throughout the night, going head-to-head against Liberal poobah Stephen LeDrew.
4. In person at the Telus Convention Centre
If you're headed down to the Tory HQ at Calgary's Telus Convention Centre, make sure you stop by to say hello to Kevin and the rest of our Calgary editorial staff in the media area.
This election, the Western Standard has you covered -- on the Internet, radio, TV and live on location. The only thing we won't do for you is vote!
Yours truly,
Ezra Levant
Publisher
P.S. If you haven't done so yet, make sure to sign up or renew your Western Standard subscription now, so you don't miss a beat in the exciting months ahead! Visit http://www.westernstandard.ca/subscribe
MORE:
Tories poised for minority, final poll shows (MICHAEL VALPY, January 22, 2006, Globe and Mail)
The final poll results for The Globe and Mail and CTV by the Strategic Counsel showed the Conservatives with 37 per cent support, the Liberals with 27, the NDP at 19, the Bloc Québécois at 11 and the Green Party at six per cent.Posted by Orrin Judd at January 23, 2006 9:45 PMStrategic Counsel chairman Allan Gregg said the poll would produce "a solid Conservative minority government with more Bloc and more New Democrats than we have today."
The poll finds that the desire for change among the Canadian electorate continues to be high, with 63 per cent saying they believe it's time for a change, up from 54 per cent when the election was called.
If it's true that the socialist NDP and separatist Bloc will win more seats, then there's a good possibility the Bloc will become Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition again, as the LIEberals become another minor party in Parliament.
Well, isn't that special!
Posted by: obc at January 23, 2006 10:18 AMAs I understand it, if the Conservatives end up with a minority, the Bloc will join them in a coalition and will be part of the government.
Posted by: David Cohen at January 23, 2006 10:30 AMI think this is wishful thinking on the part of the Liberal supporting Canuckistani press. I think that Liberal turnout will be depressed - it often is when a ruling party is going down as hard as they are - so I figure the turnout more like this:
43% Torries
21% NDP
19% Liberal Party
12% Bloc Québécois
5% Green Party
Even if the conservatives do form a minority instead of a majority, it will give easily fear-mongered easterners a chance to see that the Tories are not antichrists in disguise. The election after this will definitely be a conservative majority.
Posted by: Flip at January 23, 2006 3:21 PMDavid:
No, the Tories have experience with playing footsie with the separatists, and it isn't good.
With a respectably strong minority, Harper will have at least two years knowing the last thing any of the others want is an election--he will be in a great position to dare them to defeat him. Lots of wheeling and dealing and compromises he wouldn't need to make with a majority, but there are upsides to that. His team badly needs the experience of government and some grass-roots building outside the West and rural/small town Ontario before it is ready to lower its head, close its eyes and charge single-mindedly towards the dreaded(shudder)Third Way!
Posted by: Peter B at January 23, 2006 6:58 PMI win.
Posted by: oj at January 23, 2006 7:07 PMOf course you do, Boss. Don't you always?
Posted by: Peter B at January 23, 2006 8:23 PMVia Steve Janke:
It's 10pm.
CTV is calling for a Conservative minority government.
Details as I hear them:
Potential range of Conservative seats: 120 to 150
Posted by: Sandy P at January 23, 2006 10:15 PMIt's a weakish minority--about 125 seats. The Libs held just over 100 and the NDP rose to 30. Bloc slightly down.
Atlantic Canada didn't change much, the Tories had a third of the popular vote in Quebec and 7-10 seats (that's the big news). The gain in Ontario was less than expected but very solid in rural areas and the Tories actually lost seats and popular vote in B.C.
But all pundits from all parties are saying they've got at least two clear years.
Posted by: Peter B at January 23, 2006 11:05 PMthe Tories actually lost seats and popular vote in B.C.
Nah, they actually gained a little popular vote in BC but lost seats, from what I can see. They won too many nailbiter 3 way marginals in 2004 with 35-33-31 scores and the like, and the NDP and Grit voters tactically voted much better this time.
Posted by: John Thacker at January 24, 2006 1:03 AMPeter B (and all other Canadian Juddites):
Congratulations! Although it's not the Conservative majority some folks were hoping for, we Americans join you in toasting that gigantic footprint your fellow Canadians just left on Paul Martin's backside. Hoo-yah!!!
Posted by: Matt Murphy at January 24, 2006 1:34 AM